In an Aug. 14 email to the Brandeis community, President Ronald Liebowitz welcomed students back to campus, sharing summer updates and upcoming changes to the 2024-25 academic year. 

Liebowitz began by focusing primarily on events that concerned the faculty, expressing a desire to communicate with his staff to hear their ideas for improving the University. 

Over the summer, six employee appreciation events were held by the Brandeis University Staff Advisory Committee and Human Resources. Multiple meetings and conversations took place over the summer. Provost Carol Fierke and Liebowitz met with the Faculty Senate Council, members of senior administration and small faculty groups. All of these meetings discussed a vision for Brandeis’ future.

What Liebowitz failed to mention in his email was that these conversations were happening amongst campus-wide community member layoffs in which approximately 60 staff positions were impacted. On March 14 of last semester, Liebowitz sent an email to the community that explained due to financial uncertainties, unanticipated budget cuts would need to be made. This included re-considering the necessity of staff and faculty positions that are not externally funded. Despite taking the opportunity to thank and express gratitude towards those who “make Brandeis run” Liebowitz did neglect to mention these layoffs.

Liebowitz did share that fundraising goals have been exceeded by 16%, making this the second-best single year of fundraising since 2009 and donors have endowed four faculty positions. He also selected some summer academic activities to highlight, including SciFest XIII which was held on Aug. 8. The 37 students who received World of Work funded fellowships. Prof. Sara Shostak (SOC) with three alumni from the class of 2024 produced a manuscript based on research performed by her capstone class on Waltham Field Community Farm’s Produce Prescription Program. The launching of the Summer Institute on Countering Antisemitism in Higher Education. The Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Charles Golden, led a research project in Chiapas, Mexico involving undergraduate and graduate students from Brandeis. Lastly, Liebowitz states that discussions have begun on an “enriched residential life system” that focuses on first and second-year students, though Liebowitz failed to clarify what exactly this means. 

In Liebowitz’s closing remarks, he noted some physical changes to campus. Some of these changes include: continued renovations in the Shapiro Campus Center, the moving of the Game Room from Usdan Student Center to the SCC, new televisions in common areas, a refurbished dance studio in Village, and new equipment in the Rosenthal dorm gym. They have also begun plans for a 650-bed residence hall which is expected to “break ground” by next summer.

President Liebowitz concluded his email by expressing his interest in engaging with faculty and improving campus facilities.